Chicago Blackhawks Draft Profile: Cole Perfetti

Could the Chicago Blackhawks add Cole Perfetti to an already talented group of left-wingers?

Over the last several years, the Chicago Blackhawks have collected quite the talented bunch of left-wingers on their roster. Most notably, Alex DeBrincat, despite still being 22 years of age, has tapped into his potential. The former 39th overall pick of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft was on pace to come up just shy of his numbers from last year, but he still had 18 goals and 27 assists for 45 points in 70 games.

Dominik Kubalik was a former seventh-round pick of the LA Kings in the 2013 NHL Draft and was acquired for a fifth-round pick in 2019.  In his first season, he tallied 30 goals with 16 assists for 46 points in 68 games, all while playing on the team’s third line. Along with a promising Chicago debut from Alex Nylander – ten goals, 16 assists for 26 points – and a serviceable fourth-liner in Drake Caggiula, the Blackhawks boast one of the better group of forwards along the left side.

Might they be interested in adding another via the draft?

Cole Perfetti brings a lot to the table, and he will likely be a top-five pick in the upcoming draft. The Whitby, Ontario native turned 18 in January and most recently spent all of last season playing in the OHL. For the Saginaw Spirit, Perfetti scored 37 goals with 74 assists for 111 points and a +49 plus-minus rating.

Skating

The best word to describe Perfetti is “active.” He is excellent at leading rushes down the ice and can turn on a dime. As seen in the clip below, he essentially creates his own shot, navigating around defenders while absorbing a hit along the boards before beautiful puck handling to avoid a turnover, creating a scoring chance. Not shown in the clip(s) below, but elsewhere, he can look a bit reckless in the neutral zone – perhaps trying to do too much – and loses the puck.

Offensive Game

Perfetti’s vision is off the charts. He has a great sense of where everyone is on the ice, and he’s aggressive when there is a puck to be won. His puck handling has been revered by scouts, and he draws so much attention from the opposition that other players open up. Perfetti likes to get everyone involved in the offense, but he’s also not afraid to keep the puck and fire it on goal.

Defensive Game

At 5-foot-10, 185 pounds, Perfetti has an active stick with a great sense of anticipation. He intercepts passes in enemy territory and utilizes his breakaway speed heading the opposite direction.

He’s not going to deliver the big hit into the boards, but he does enough that can frustrate opponents enough to turn the puck over. Perfetti is agile to win the battles up against the boards.